Dance with my Father
by Big Cliffy Meanie1
Summary: One shot song fic to the song 'dance with my father' by Luther Vandross. After she and TJ receive some bad news, Spinelli looks back on her relationship with her father, who died when she was fifteen. Better than it sounds!


Ok, so this fic was totally unplanned, I got home, and decided to write it, after hearing this song on the radio, and thinking up the idea to the story.

I should be posting my new fic 'Remember Me' tomorrow, it still needs some work –which i origionally planned to do now- as a sneak preview, here is the summary!

At 12, TJ enters the Whiteness Relocation Programme, Spinelli being falsely informed that he died. 10 years on, Spinelli is unhappily married & working in a hospital, never truly accepting the loss. But who is the mysterious patient Spinelli is caring for?

I hope you guys get around to reading it!

Anyway, on with this fic, I don't own 'Dance with my Father' this is sang, and owned by Luther Vandross.

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**Back when I was a child  
>Before life removed all the innocence<br>My father would lift me high  
>And dance with my mother and me<br>And then  
>Spin me around 'till I fell asleep<br>Then up the stairs he would carry me  
>And I knew for sure<br>I was loved  
><strong> 

"Hi Teej" said Spinelli, kissing her husband of fifteen years as she approached his hospital bed "How are you feeling? What did the doctors say?"

TJ had been rushed into hospital, after Spinelli had found him having a seizure that morning.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::FLASHBACK::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"BOB!" shouted Spinelli, at her twelve year old son Bob "Just leave your sister alone! And Stacey, please stop irritating your brother!"

Bob looked the spitting image of his dad, chestnut hair, blue eyes and freckles, his personality, however, was just like Spinelli's, and he would forever fight with his ten year old sister, Stacey.

Stacey, looked the spitting imagine of what Spinelli did at ten years old, small, raven hair and chocolate brown eyes, however, her personality was so like her father. Stacey was a mischievous prankster, known as the 'Prankster Princess' and was a natural, born leader. As a result of their personalities, Stacey had always been close to TJ, and Bob, who often left Spinelli pulling her hair out with his argumentative nature, was closer to Spinelli. Spinelli and TJ were forever getting calls daily of fights he'd been in. Bob wasn't a bully, quite the opposite, he'd stand of for himself of course, but he'd always stand up for those being bullied and picked on, as a result, he was always getting in fights.

"I want Dad!" pouted Stacey.

"Well Dad is getting ready getting for work, so you just have to deal with it Stace, and he would say exactly the same thing as I would"

"Mum is right, Dad has been so grumpy over the past few weeks, always complaining of headaches. So just listen to Mum!" said Bob, poking out his tongue.

"MUM! BOB STUCK HIS TOUNGE OUT AT ME!" whined Stacey.

"No I never!" defended Bob, folding has arms across his chest.

"Would you two just pack it in?" snapped Spinelli "and Bob, your father has been really stressed out lately, and finding it hard to concentrate lately, so I'll be picking you up later. Dad needs to relax. So, please make sure you don't get another detention, I need you out on time, and the last thing your father needs is more stress!"

"I already have detention, all the answers were wrong on the homework dad helped me the other night, and the handwriting was really messy. I tried telling Principle Prickly that it was Dads writing, but he didn't believe me, and put me in afterschool detention! But it was Dad's handwriting Mum"

"Ok then sweetie" said Spinelli with a sigh, TJ had seemed to be distracted lately, not only did he have the headaches, but she too had noticed things such as his handwriting deteriorating. Checking her watch, Spinelli called up the stairs "Teej, you're going to be late for work! I'm going to need you to take the kids to school today, I've got to be at work soon too"

Spinelli listened out for a few moments, but didn't hear a response, instead, she heard a heavy bang from upstairs.

"What was that Mummy? Is Daddy ok?" asked Stacey

"He's fine baby" replied Spinelli, but in her gut, she just knew something wasn't right.

Spinelli hurried up the stairs, and into their bedroom, the room the crash had come from. It looked empty, Spinelli was just about to turn away, when she saw TJ's feet, sticking out from behind the floor in the bed; they were shaking violently.

"Teej?" whispered Spinelli, walking slowly and nervously toward him hoping this was one of his practical jokes. As she got closer she saw him, TJ's body rigid, shaking violently and his head was knocking against the side table. There was a wet patch on his trousers where he'd obviously been incontinent; Spinelli threw herself on the floor, next to her husband, pulling him out the way to stop him knocking his head "Teej? Teej can you hear me?"

Spinelli had obviously got no response, she lept to her feet, running down the stairs and into the kitchen, picking up the phone, and dialling 911.

"Yes, I need an ambulance please, as quick as you can, to 1 Oak Street" Spinelli said, her voice shaking as she tried to keep it as calm as possible.

"Is Daddy ok?" asked Stacey, hurrying up to Spinelli and pulling at her top.

"Just stay in here Baby" said Spinelli, but it was useless, Stacey had already taken off up the stairs.

"No, Daddy needs my help!" said Stacey, Bob ran up the stairs behind her.

"STACEY! BOB! JUST STAY DOWN HERE!" shouted Spinelli, after her children, she then became away of the voice on the other end of the phone "Oh, Sorry. Yes, it's my husband, TJ Detweiler, he'd having a seizure"

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::End of Flashback::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

**If I could get another chance  
>Another walk<br>Another dance with him  
>I'd play a song that would never ever end<br>How I'd love love love  
>To dance with my father again<strong>

"Are the kids ok?" asked TJ sadly, Spinelli didn't like is solum tone, it gave her a bad feeling; and she was already worried, but she replied never the less.

"They're both fine, Vince and Gretchen are looking after them, I left them outside playing with Sarah, Thomas, Emma, Natalie and Freddie" replied Spinelli.

The gang had remained friends over the years, Vince and Gretchen had two children Sarah and Thomas, Gus and Theresa also had two children, Emma and Natalie, and Mikey and Kurst had one child, Freddie. All the children were similar ages, and as a result were all friends, and played together on a regular basis.

Spinelli had called Gretchen, and asked her to collect Stacey from school, this was convenient as Stacey and Thomas went to school together, likewise, Bob went to school with Sarah, so Spinelli had told Bob to go home with Sarah.

"That's good" replied TJ, in the same, solum tone.

"Teej, what is it? What did the doctors say?" asked Spinelli, she could see clear as day by the sad look on TJ's face, that something wasn't right.

"Spin, I think you should sit down"

"There, I'm sitting, now please tell me Teej"

"Well, they took me down for a CT scan soon after I got in here. The doctor explained that there was a mass on the scan..." said TJ, pausing to know how to best phrase the next piece of news "...I have a brain tumour Spin"

"No" said Spinelli, shaking her head as tears filled her eyes "No, you can't, it's got to be a mistake, maybe they accidently switched the scan pictures or, maybe-"

"It's not a mistake" said TJ shaking his head.

**When I and my mother  
>Would disagree<br>To get my way I would run  
>From her to him<br>He'd make me laugh just to comfort me  
>yeah yeah<br>Then finally make me do  
>Just what my mama said<br>Later that night when I was asleep  
>He left a dollar under my sheet<br>Never dreamed that he  
>Would be gone from me<strong>

Spinelli was immediately transported back to her childhood, her Dad, Bob Spinelli, had died of a brain tumour when she was fifteen. Spinelli and her had had always been close

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::FLASHBACK:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Ashley, can you come here from a minute" Mrs Spinelli's voice called from the kitchen.

"Yeah, yeah I'm coming" called nine year old Ashley Spinelli, turning her attentions away from the wrestling on the TV and walking into the kitchen, to find both her parents sat at the table "I don't know Dad, but I'm beginning to think the wrestling might be fixed"

"Perish the thought sweetie" replied Mr Spinelli, he continued after a pointed look from Mrs Spinelli "But right now, we need to talk about the wrestling that you've been doing at school, and what we're going to do about it!-"

"-I've enrolled you in dance class" interrupted Mrs Spinelli her arms folded across her chest.

"DANCE CLASS?" cried Spinelli in horror "BUT THATS FOR GIRLS!"

"You _are_ a girl honey. Besides, it's not a punishment; it's to help you manage your extra energy! Look!" replied Mrs Spinelli, standing up, and spinning on the spot "See, it helped me!"

"DAD!" cried Spinelli, she'd always turn to her dad in situations such as these, her mother just didn't understand her; her dad however, completely understood her.

"No, I'm standing behind your mother one this one Pookie" said Mr Spinelli, holding up his hand.

"And what if I refuse" said Spinelli, her hands on her hips, if this didn't work, she was sure she could work on her dad, and get him to change his mind.

"Then, fixed or not, there be a moratorium on wrestling shows in this house!" replied Mrs Spinelli, her arms folded across her chest.

"But honey!" protesting Mrs Spinelli "Grapomenia is right around the corner!"

"BOB!" whined Mrs Spinelli, her arms still folded stubbornly.

"A moratorium?" asked Spinelli, putting on a cool front "Hey, I can live without wrestling for a while"

"till you're twenty one?" asked Mrs Spinelli, placing her hands on her hips.

Spinelli and her father looked at each other in horror, seeing this; Mrs Spinelli rolled he eyes and walked from the room. She knew how the situation would pan out, Spinelli would protest, and complain to her dad. Then her husband would listen to Spinelli, make her laugh, then work his magic, and her daughter would wind up doing exactly what she'd wanted.

"Dad! Please don't make me do dance lessons, and we can't go without wrestling until I'm twenty one, that's forever!"

"I know Pookie, we need wrestling with Grapomenia coming up!" agreed Mr Spinelli, he would always watch wrestling with his daughter, both were exceptionally close "and I understand you don't want to do dance class. You are a tough girl; you don't want to be a prissy ballet dancer"

"I know dad!" cried Spinelli "So talk to mum, make her see sense!"

Mr Spinelli smiled at his daughter, and began prancing around the room, and spinning on the spot, just as his wife had done.

"Look at me, I'm a dancer!" he said in a high pitched girly tone, pulling out his t-shirt and pretending to curtsy, he then held out his hand to his daughter "Miss, would you dance with me?"

"Oh, why of course!" replied Spinelli, mimicking her dad's high pitched tone of voice.

Spinelli took her father's hand, and they began waltzing and spinning around the kitchen, Mr Spinelli picked up her daughter, spinning faster and faster as they both laughed happily. Losing his footing from being so dizzy, Mr Spinelli fell to the floor, and Spinelli went with him, both continuing to laugh hysterically once on the floor.

"Pookie, what about we just let your mother think she's won? You go to dance class for a few weeks, and pretend to be all into it, and we'll still have wrestling to watch. You can come home, and we'll make fun of all the prissy dancers, and do impressions of them. Then, after a few weeks, when your mum is happy, you can quit"

"Hmm" replied Spinelli

"Come on Pookie, what do you say? Will you dance with your father again?" asked Mr Spinelli, standing up, and pretending to prance around the room "You can go to the classes, and make sure our impressions are as accurate as possible."

"Ok then Dad" nodded Spinelli, before shouting loudly "MUM! I'LL DO THE STUPID DANCE CLASSES!"

"Oh Pookie!" sighed Mr Spinelli, his wife always hated the way Spinelli would shout through the house, rather than approach her mother to say what she needed to, to her face "What do you say we go watch some wrestling then champ?"

"Sure thing dad!" replied Spinelli, they both hurried in, and sat on the sofa, watching the wrestling.

Soon enough, Spinelli had fallen asleep, Mr Spinelli's arm around her.

"I really don't know how you work your magic with her Bob, you just seem to have a way" replied Mrs Spinelli, looking at her sleeping daughter "I just hope she calms down with these classes"

"I'll take her up to bed" replied Mr Spinelli, lifting up Spinelli, who barley stirred, and carried her up the stairs, placing her in her bed gently. After glancing over his shoulder, he slipped a couple of dollars under Spinelli's pillow and left a little note saying 'buy yourself a nice wrestling magazine Pookie'

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::End of Flashback::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

**If I could steal one final glance  
>When final step<br>One final dance with him  
>I'd play a song that would never ever end<br>Cause I'd love love love to  
>Dance with my father again<strong>

Spinelli's insides ached with grief at this memory, when she'd lost her father, it was like she'd lost a part of herself. It had been awful both she and her mum were distraught to learn that he had in inoperable brain tumour. There were no treatment options for Mr Spinelli, and he had died nearly as suddenly as the illness seemed to have come on.

Spinelli missed those fun dances with her father; they'd often dance around the kitchen, laughing as they did so. Spinelli remembered her wedding to TJ, the day had been beautiful, but she missed her dad that day so much it hurt. He wasn't there to walk her down the aisle, or for their traditional father daughter dance. Spinelli wished, more than anything, she could have her dad back, just for one last dance around their kitchen, and when she did, she wished that dance would be to a song that would never, ever end; she wished for a song that would wind on into eternity.

This wasn't the only difficult thing, her mother had taken the loss incredibly hard. Spinelli remembered how she'd sit outside the bathroom door, listing to her once bright and cheerful mum, cry for her father. Every night, as Spinelli lay in bed, she could hear her mum, cry herself to sleep, missing her husband so badly. Spinelli had cried in her own bed silently, as she heard this. Mrs Spinelli had no idea that her daughter had heard the tears, she'd always put on a brave face around Spinelli, and Spinelli had accepted the charade, and acted as though she didn't know any different. Spinelli had often wished things had gotten better for her mother, even more than herself, Spinelli had TJ, but mer mother? Unlike Spinelli, her mother had lost her soul mate.

Spinelli had wanted, so badly, to ease her mother's pain, to bring her farther back down from the heavens, to be with them once more, but she knew that could never happen, even if Mrs Spinelli was dying to see her husband again.

Now, she and her children seemed about to go through the same fate. Spinelli knew, without a doubt, that living without TJ was an impossibility. She knew she'd have to go on, for their children, but Bob and Stacey would go through she want she had, all those years ago.

**Sometimes I'd listen outside her door  
>And I'd hear how mama would cry for him<br>I'd pray for her even more than me  
>I'd pray for her even more than me<br>**  
>"Spin, I know what you're thinking, but this isn't like what happened with your dad" said TJ gently<p>

"Oh, and how can you be so sure?" sobbed Spinelli.

"They've already arrange surgery Spin, I'm going straight in next week, Monday morning to be exact."

"They can operate?" asked Spinelli

"Yes, it's operable"

"But that doesn't mean everything will be ok Teej, what will we tell the kids? What if the doctors don't get it all when they operate?"

"The truth" said TJ simply "and I'm having chemotherapy after the surgery, just to be sure they've got it all. The doctors explained that they've caught this in the early stages and that 90% of people in my position survive"

"Really?" sobbed Spinelli.

"Really" replied TJ

"A tough road lies ahead of us Teej"

"I know Spin, but we'll face it as a family"

**I know I'm praying for much to much  
>But could you send her<br>The only man she loved  
>I know you don't do it usually<br>But Dear Lord  
>She's dying to dance with my father again<strong>

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::One Year Later::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Mummy! Mummy!" cried Stacey happily, running into the lounge as Spinelli and Bob sat watching wrestling.

"Daddy's hair is growing back! Come see, DADDY HAS HAIR AGAIN!"

Spinelli and Bob hurried after Stacey, who led them up to her bedroom, where she and TJ and been sat, looking through comics.

"LOOK AT DADDYS HAIR!" pointed Stacey happily.

Sure enough, there were the first signs of TJ's chestnut coloured hair returning, he'd stopped the chemotherapy, and treatment two weeks before, and had been given the all clear.

"So he has" said Spinelli with a smile, kissing her husband, feeling blessed that the situation hadn't turned out the way it had for her father.

"Hey kids" said TJ with a smile "What do you say we go to Gonzo world this weekend?"

Both Stacey and Bob jumped around the room, shouting with happiness; they hadn't had a day out as a family since before TJ's diagnosis. Together, they shared a family hug, TJ and Spinelli hugging each other tightly, their two children between them. Spinelli shed a tear o happiness as she realised how brilliant their life really was, and how lucky they really were. It was as though her father were watching over them, still protecting his little Pookie.

**Every night I fall asleep  
>And this is all I ever dream<strong>

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There it was, i hope you enjoyed it, I was against time posting, so there may be a few typos, sorry if there are, I just wanted to get this up, and work on my new fic!

Also, I'm dyslexic, so sorry for any spelling or grammar issues!


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